


Melinda and the Ball

by kitlee625, Sarahastro



Series: The Ballad of Lady Melinda [2]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-14
Updated: 2015-06-14
Packaged: 2018-04-04 11:05:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4135131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitlee625/pseuds/kitlee625, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarahastro/pseuds/Sarahastro
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Age 16. A royal ball gives Melinda the chance to explore a different side of herself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Melinda and the Ball

**Author's Note:**

> Part of our Philinda Medieval AU series.

Melinda smiles to herself as she sees Phil coming over to her table with his tray of breakfast. He has joined her for most meals over the past two years, and while at first she found his constant presence annoying, she has come to appreciate it. When she first started, the fact that she was the only girl meant the other squires went out of their way to torment her, but after that failed to make her go home, most of them settled on ignoring her. She tries not to let it bother her, but at times she is quite lonely, and it would be even harder to bear without Phil’s friendship.

Besides Phil, her most frequent companion is Maria, a young woman who is training to be a soldier in the king’s army. If she had not rescued Phil when they were twelve, she undoubtedly would be training right beside Maria, as Melinda did not have the family wealth or title to qualify as a knight without the King’s permission. Normally Maria eats her meals with her, but the soldiers have been on a training exercise in the woods near the castle for the past two weeks, leaving Melinda to eat alone.

Phil smiles warmly at her. “Good morning Melinda. Do you mind if I join you?”

“Of course, your highness.”

“I’ve told you before,” Phil says, “you don’t need to address me as ‘your highness.’ You could call me Phillip, or Phil.”

“That wouldn’t be appropriate. You’re a prince.”

“Yes, but I’m only the younger prince. I’m not expected to ever be king. So there is really no need to stand on ceremony." He gives her a soft smile that makes her stomach twist in a not entirely unpleasant way. "I would be honored if you called me by my given name."

She nods and looks away. "Very well... Phillip."

He smiles at her. “Did you hear about the ball?”

Melinda looks puzzled.

“My father is throwing a ball for my brother’s birthday. He’s turning 20. All of the nobles in the kingdom are invited, plus a few foreigners. I think my father is hoping to make a marriage for him."

Melinda tries to hide the terror she is feeling behind a facade of detached boredom. “Oh.”

“Don’t worry,” Phil says, “I don’t think it’s going to be too boring, and Father has said that the squires won’t have to serve at the ball. We’ll be able to enjoy ourselves as guests. It’ll be fun.”

Melinda nods wordlessly. However, later that day, when their instructors describe the upcoming evening, it sounds anything but fun. Once they become knights, they will be expected to attend such events regularly, and their instructors are treating the evening as a test of their social skills.

“Which means that you are to behave like proper young men. And above all else, you are to treat the young ladies in attendance with respect and not fight over dances like a gang of uncouth peasants.”

The other squires snicker and sneak glances at Melinda, who is standing very still in her spot in line. 

“What about Melinda?” Felix asks innocently. “Is she going to be judged on how she dances with the young ladies at the party too?”

The instructor silences them all with a glare, and Melinda notices Phil shoot her a sympathetic look. Later that day, he comes up to her while they are watching Felix and Grant spar. 

“Don’t listen to them,” Phil says quietly. “The party’s going to be fun.”

Melinda shakes her head ever so slightly. “I’m not going.”

“But it’s required.”

“I don’t care. I’ll say I’m sick. Lady troubles.”

Phil gets an uncomfortable look on his face. “Oh. Well, that probably would work, but are you sure you don’t want to go? It’s going to be fun, and I’m sure plenty of men will ask you to dance.”

She stares at the ground. “I don’t know how to dance,” she says quietly, “and I don’t have anything to wear.”

“Really?” There is no judgement in his voice, only surprise. “Well, I can help you with that.”

She feels embarrassed asking for help with something so frivolous. “Your highness, there’s no need. Really.”

“I want to. You’ve done so much for me,” Phil says firmly. “Just meet me in my chambers after dinner. We can go over some steps then. And I’ll find something for you to wear.”

*****

That night at dinner, Melinda is so nervous about the prospect of dance lessons with Phil that she can barely eat anything. Practicing with him during and between lessons is one thing, but going to his private chambers could land her in a lot of trouble. She is so distracted that she does not even notice that Maria has joined her for dinner until she nudges her with her elbow.

“Is everything okay?” Maria asks as she digs into her food.

“Yes. Sorry. I didn’t realize you would be back already. How was the training exercise?”

“It was fine. Long and cold. Clint told Jasper that there are bears in the woods, and I thought Jasper was going to freak out every time he took night watch.” Melinda does not respond, and Maria follows her gaze up to where Phil is having dinner with some of the other squires. Maria fixes her with a knowing look. “Did something happen between you and the prince?”

“No.”

Maria raises her eyebrows. “Really? Because he’s always stared at you, but now you can’t keep your eyes off him.”

Melinda turns her attention to Maria. “There’s nothing going on between us. We’re just training together, same as always.”

As if on cue, Phil gets up and joins them. “Hello Maria, Melinda.”

Maria glances at Melinda and raises her eyebrows, and Melinda stares at her plate.

“I realized that you don’t know where my chamber is,” Phil says. “It’s in the East corridor, fourth door on the left.”

Maria stares at Melinda open mouthed, and Melinda turns red. “It’s not what you think,” she says quickly.

Phil also has turned red. “Melinda’s just helping me with my hand-to-hand combat,” he says quickly. “I wound up on the mats every time today, and she’s been nice enough to help me out. I didn’t want to do it where the other squires would laugh at me again.”

Maria does not look like she is buying that story, but she says nothing as Phil hastily excuses himself. Once he is gone though she rolls her eyes at Melinda. “Going to his chambers to practice hand-to-hand combat? Am I really supposed to believe that?”

Melinda sighs. She appreciates Phil’s attempt to cover for her, but it is so transparent, and there is no need to lie to Maria. “We’re meeting there for me,” she admits. “The King is throwing a ball, and all the squires are expected to attend. But I’ve never been to a ball before, and I don’t know how to dance or how to dress, so Phil offered to help me.”

Maria raises her eyebrows. “You’re calling him Phil now?”

Of all the details for her to fixate on, Melinda did not expect her to pick this one. “What?”

“When I left two weeks ago he was still ‘the Prince’ or ‘his highness,’ but now all of a sudden he’s ‘Phil,’ and he’s teaching you to dance and getting you a dress.”

“It isn’t like that Maria,” Melinda protests, but she knows how feeble that must sound. “We’re just friends.” She does not feel like facing Maria’s questions any more, so she gets up to leave. “I need to go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Maria smirks at her. “Right. Don’t want to keep Phil waiting.”

*****

It is easy enough to find Phil’s chambers, and Melinda manages to make her way there without running into anyone. Which is fortunate because she does not know how she would explain why she is wandering around in this part of the castle, where the royal family has their chambers.

His chamber is much larger than hers, with space for a large four poster bed, a chest of clothing, a wall of bookshelves, and an armchair. When she enters, he is pushing most of the furniture against the wall.

“There, that should be enough space,” he says when she enters. “Have you ever danced before?”

She shakes her head. Even when her father had been alive, he had never been one for formal balls and dinners, and he had never taken her or her mother to the capital. The only times she has seen people dance are when she has to serve at balls and dinners, and she is always too focused on her duties to pay much attention to the dancers. 

“We’ll start with something simple.” He stands beside her to show her the steps, holding her right hand in his left. “For this part we would be dancing in a circle,” he explains.

The steps are simple enough, but she feels clumsy, and her hand feels warm and sweaty in his cool one. It is so different from when they are training together, when he is the nervous and clumsy one. She likes seeing him like this, moving with more confidence and grace. It strikes her that he is no longer the same small, awkward boy he was when they first met. He is still not tall, but time and training have made his shoulders broader and his arms firm. He is more man than boy now, although his face is still soft and smooth, not yet marred by stubble.

He gives her a concerned look, and she realizes she is staring at him. “Alright?” he asks. When she nods, he says, “You’re doing well. Let’s try the second part.”

He moves so that he is facing her, taking her right hand in his. “Try to mirror my movements,” he explains. This part is harder, and she stumbles, her body pressing against his. He steadies her and smiles down at her. “Careful.”

Her face is flushed, not only from embarrassment but also from being so close to Phil. “I’d rather be sparring,” she says.

“You’re already an expert in that. Now it’s my turn to help you with something.”

They start again, with Phil counting out the beats in his low, patient voice. She stumbles a few more times, but gradually the steps start to feel more natural. She realizes that their movements are perfectly in time, and she smiles.

“Good. But try to look up at me instead of at your feet.” Her eyes meet his, and he smiles at her. “Every man will want to dance with you at the ball. You’ll be the most popular lady there.”

“Thanks to your help,” she says, but her forehead creases when she realizes that she still has nothing to wear but her squire’s uniform.

He must see the concern on her face because he says, “I spoke to my cousin, Lady Sharon, and she has agreed to lend you a gown. She’s about your size, but we should go over to her chambers now so you can try it on and see if the seamstress needs to make any adjustments.”

Sharon is not alone in her chambers when they get there. His grandmother, Peggy, is waiting for them as well as the seamstress. Sharon smirks at Phil as she ushers them into the room.

“Grandmother, this is Melinda May. She is a squire, training to become a knight.”

Peggy fixes Melinda with a piercing stare. “I know who she is. The girl who saved your life in the woods.”

Melinda blushes when she sees how Phil beams. “It was nothing, your majesty,” she says.

“Nonsense. The king and Phil both speak very highly of you.”

Sharon’s smile is mischievous. “Yes, we’ve all heard the story of your bravery many, many times.” Phil shoots her a look, and Sharon smiles sweetly at Melinda. “I have a few dresses that you might like for the ball. Is there a particular color that you are fond of?”

Melinda looks down at her own plain-colored clothes. “I’m not sure. I haven’t worn anything but my squire’s uniform in years.”

Sharon pulls a dark red gown from the closet. “I think this color would look good on you.” She gestures to a folding screen set up in the corner of the room. “Come over here and try it on.”

Phil clears his throat. “I’ll leave you in their hands, Melinda. But I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Melinda nods a little nervously. “Thank you for everything, your highness.”

She feels very self conscious as she changes, feeling like an imposter as the servant helps her into the gown. She is not used to wearing something so fine, and she wonders if the lovely gown is going to look as out of place as she feels. When she steps out from behind the screen though, Sharon and Peggy nod approvingly.

“It looks lovely on you,” Sharon says.

“It suits you nicely, but it needs to be taken in a little,” Peggy says, and the seamstress hurries to Melinda’s side and begins tugging and pinning the fabric. 

“Thank you,” Melinda says. “I don’t know how to repay your kindness.”

“Think nothing of it,” Peggy says.

“Yes, anything for Phil’s friend,” Sharon says with a slight smirk. But when Peggy fixes her with a raised eyebrow, she quickly adds, “He’s told us how much you’ve helped him with his training.”

Melinda gives a small nod. Many people laugh behind Phil’s back because he is not a naturally gifted fighter like his father and brother, but Melinda knows how hard he works to make up for that. “He’s an excellent squire,” Melinda murmurs.

Sharon raises her eyebrows and smiles at Melinda, but before she can say something, Peggy says, “We’ve taken up enough of Melinda’s time, Sharon.” She turns to Melinda. “The dress will be altered to your measurements and delivered to you before the ball.”

Melinda stammers her thanks again and quickly changes back into her ordinary clothes. As she walks back to her own room, she wonders how the other squires will react to seeing her in such finery.

*****

On the day of the ball, Melinda rushes back to her room as soon as they are dismissed from lessons and spends over an hour getting ready. She takes her time bathing, trying desperately to scrub all of the dirt off her skin and from under her nails. When she puts on Sharon’s red dress, carefully hidden away in her trunk, and slips her feet into the delicate leather slippers, she feels like an entirely different person. She frets over her hair, but she does not know what to do with it, so she just brushes it until it shines.

There is a knock on the door, and Melinda jumps, worried that the other squires will make fun of her, but when she opens it is just Maria.

“You look lovely,” Maria says. “Really.”

Melinda blushes. “It’s a lovely dress.”

“It’s not just the dress. Do you have any makeup? Or pins for your hair?”

“No. I’ve never needed those things before.”

“I don’t have those things either, but you don’t need it,” Maria says quickly. “Truly, you look beautiful.” She gives Melinda a concerned look. “Melinda, be careful tonight, especially around Prince Phillip.”

Melinda tries to ignore the fluttery feeling in her stomach just from the mention of his name. The entire time she has been getting ready, she could not stop imagining how he will react when he sees her. “Prince Phillip and I are just friends. And he’s a gentleman.”

“He’s also obviously enamored with you.” She sighs. “I just don’t want to see him hurt you. He may be your friend, but he’s also a prince.”

“I know.” Melinda is all too aware that unlike the other squires, she is not technically a noble. Her father had been a lord, and she had been a lady when she was born, but now that he is gone she is essentially just a commoner. She gives Maria a reassuring look. “You don’t need to worry about me. I know where I stand, and I know how to handle Prince Phillip.”

But as soon as she enters the hall and sees Phil, her confident words to Maria disappear. When Phil sees her, his eyes widen, and she blushes and looks away from his intense gaze.

He excuses himself from his conversation with Felix and hurries to her side. Melinda notices that Felix also looks surprised to see her like this, and she feels a flush of satisfaction. No doubt many of the squires had expected her to be plain and awkward, and she takes great pleasure in their looks of surprise and admiration.

“Melinda, you look lovely,” he says.

“Thank you, your highness. You look very fine tonight yourself.” He always looks nicer than the other squires, his uniform always pressed and clean, but tonight he looks every inch the prince that he is. The blue and silver shirt makes his eyes look even brighter, and she feels flushed just from looking at him.

Prince John approaches them and gives her an approving look. “Melinda. I hardly recognized you.” His eyes travel up and down her body. “You certainly clean up well.”

She knows that he means it as a compliment, but something about the way he is looking at her make her uncomfortable. “Yes, your highness,” she says.

As if sensing her discomfort, Phil tells his brother, “We should get seated for dinner.” To Melinda he asks, “Can I escort you to your seat, my lady?”

“I’m not a lady, but thank you.” She takes his arm, and he shows her to her seat beside some of the other squires. He gives her a nervous smile. “May I ask for a dance later this evening?”

“Of course.”

“I’m looking forward to it, my lady.”

As soon as he leaves, Melinda stares down at her plate and takes a few deep breaths to steady herself. She is not entirely sure why she feels so on edge. She could blame it on the dress and the setting, but she knows it is more than that. Every time Phil looks at her or smiles at her, she feels a rush go through her entire body.

She pictures Maria’s disapproving look. Phil is a prince. He is charming and handsome and friendly, but none of that means he has any special fondness for her, or that she can have any special feelings for him. When he marries, it will be to a princess or a noble lady. Even though the ball is in his brother’s honor, she notices that many of the young ladies keep glancing at Phil and smiling at him, obviously hoping to catch his attention.

She forces herself to stop thinking about Phil and focus on the feast. The food is delicious, and she is seated between Felix and Grant, both of whom talk to her pleasantly and compliment her on her fine gown.

“I feel as though we are seeing an entirely different Melinda May,” Felix says.

“No man -- or woman -- is just one thing,” Grant says. “We all have different sides to us.” He smiles at Melinda. “This side of you has certainly attracted a lot of attention, including from the prince.”

Melinda assumes that he is talking about Phil, but when she follows his gaze she realizes he is referring to John, who is blatantly staring at her. She looks away.

After the feasting comes the dancing. Despite practicing with Phil, Melinda is nervous and hangs on the edges as the dancers assemble and the musicians set up. But before she can completely fade into the background, Phil appears. He smiles at her and extends his hand. “My lady, may I have this dance?”

As he leads her away he says, “I hope you do not think I’m monopolizing your time, but my brother was planning to ask you to dance, and I know you aren’t very fond of him.” She feels a slight twinge of disappointment, until he adds, “And I wanted to make sure I got a chance to dance with you myself before you’re overwhelmed with other offers.”

She smiles at him in a way that she hopes is flirtatious. “I would always have time to dance with my prince,” she says.

He blushes and squeezes her hand. “You really do look amazing tonight,” he says.

“It’s a beautiful dress.”

“And you’re beautiful in it.”

Melinda mentally chides herself for feeling so nervous around Phil. She seems him almost every day. But tonight everything feels different. The soft way he looks at her and says her name sends shivers through her body, and she is overly aware of even the smallest touch. Part of her wants to run back to her room and hide so she can forget about these feelings, but the rest of her just wants to keep enjoying the thrill she feels from being near him. It is very different than when they spar together during or between lessons. When they are sparring, she is singley focused on how best to avoid his attacks and disarm him. But now she is enjoying his presence beside her -- how handsome he looks, how confidently he steers her around the dance floor. 

When the music ends, she thinks that he is going to ask another young lady to dance, but he surprises her by asking her to share another dance with him. During that dance she notices the the king giving them a pointed look, and after the music ends he excuses himself to mingle with some of the noble ladies. She plans on slipping back to her chambers as soon as she can, but after dancing with Phil, Felix and Grant both ask her to dance. Dancing with Felix is a little awkward, especially because he is limping slightly from her knocking him down during jousting practice earlier that day. Grant is a better dancer, but the dark look in his eyes makes her feel conspicuous and exposed in her dress.

After her dance with Grant, it is late enough that she figures that she can sneak back to her chambers without attracting attention, but before she can, Phil comes up to her.

“Leaving so soon?” he asks. “I was hoping we could share another dance. Or maybe we could take a walk?”

“A walk would be nice,” she murmurs. Her heart flutters nervously in her chest as she follows him out of the hall and down the corridor until they reach an alcove.

“It’s quieter here. You looked like you could use a break from the festivities.”

She does not want him to think that she had not enjoyed dancing with him. “It was fun,” she says quickly, “but very different. I have never attended a ball before.”

“Not even when you were a child?” he asks. “When I was young, I used to sneak out of my room during balls and banquets so I could spy on them.”

“We didn’t have any balls at my home. It’s very far out in the country, and not many nobles pass through there.”

“Well you were excellent. Very graceful as always,” he says, and she blushes. The alcove has a small window overlooking the forest just north of the castle, and he stares out at it and sighs. “Do you ever get homesick?”

She is surprised by the question. “Sometimes,” she admits. “The capital is very different than where I grew up. But I’ve grown used to it over the years. I do miss the quiet though, and being able to walk through the forest.”

He smiles. “It must be hard to be away. I remember how beautiful it was from when I visited. You know, I tried to get my father to arrange another trip after that. I would have loved to be able to go back there.”

“Even though you almost were eaten by a wolf?” she asks with a smile.

“But I wasn’t because a beautiful lady rescued me.”

She shifts a little uncomfortably. “I’m not really a lady.”

“You are to me.” His face is so serious and earnest. “A beautiful, brave lady. One of the finest I know.”

Melinda is acutely aware that they are standing just inches apart. He licks his lips, and for a moment she wonders if he is going to kiss her. She has never been kissed. The thought makes her heart beat faster and her palms sweat.

She leans towards him slightly, but before anything can happen, they hear footsteps coming towards them. They move apart quickly, and Melinda turns to see a crowd of people leaving the hall.

“I believe the evening is coming to an end,” Phil observes.

She spots John leaving with the daughter of a noble and rolls her eyes. “It appears that your brother has found someone to end the evening with.”

“I’m not surprised. He’s getting quite the reputation.”

Melinda scowls. “It’s one thing for a man to have that kind of reputation. It makes him seem daring and exciting. But for a woman, it’s much worse. Girls are told they have to safeguard their virtue while boys are eager to get rid of theirs.”

“I haven’t lost my virtue yet,” Phil says, then immediately turns bright red.

For a moment, she imagines him lying in his large four poster bed, naked, and she flushes. She wonders if this is his awkward way of propositioning her, and if the only reason he had asked her to dance was to get her back into his bed after the ball. She knows that she should be offended by that idea, but there is another part of her that might want that. 

Her stomach twists anxiously, and she knows that she needs to get out of there. “I need to go back to my room,” she says quickly. She turns to leave even before he can respond.

He hurries after her. “Let me walk with you.”

She pauses only for a second. “There’s no need. Thank you for the dance, your highness.”

“Alright. Good night, my lady.”

As soon as she gets back into her room, she pulls off the dress, folding it carefully so she can return it to Sharon the next day. She puts on her old nightgown and splashes some water on her face. Being back in her room, in her own clothes makes her feel a little less strange and more like herself. But as she lies in bed, she cannot help but replay the night’s events in her mind, and think about how it had felt to dance with Phil.


End file.
